Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansur, who was reported to have said the BN is ever ready to take the opposition head-on in debates, has clarified that this does not mean he supports a debate between Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

NONEHowever, the Umno veteran has offered to organise a debate between Anwar and his former aide and accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan in the Sodomy II case.

"I don't see a need for a debate between Najib and Anwar but if Anwar is interested in debating, I can arrange for him to debate with his former aide Mohd Saiful," he was quoted as saying to news portal Umno-Online.

Tengku Adnan, according to a separate report in Sinar Harian today, said he did not want Najib to waste his time on empty debates with Anwar as the premier had "more important matters" to attend to, but the party was still open to debate with other persons.

"I said before that we are ready to debate, but it depends on the topic to be debated.

"We also have the deputy prime minister, Umno vice-presidents, Umno supreme council members, the Youth chief and Wanita chief. They also can debate with the opposition," he told the Malay daily.

On Sunday, English daily The Star quoted Tengku Adnan as saying that the ruling coalition was ever ready to take part in debates, such as the one between MCA chief Dr Chua Soi Lek and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng last Saturday, describing it as "healthy".

This prompted PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution to request Tengku Adnan to play a role as go-between to arrange a debate between the two coalition heads

SUPP agrees to debate with DAP

In another recent development, Sarawak-based SUPP has joined the bandwagon by accepting a debate challenge from DAP.

According to Sarawak newspaper United Daily, newly-minted SUPP president Peter Chin agreed to accept the challenge from DAP Piasau assemblyperson Ling Sie Kiong, but he has yet to receive a formal invitation from the latter.

Chin said that Ling should write him an official letter stating the debate topic, organiser and other details.

However, Chin, who is also the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, also added that BN can send any leader for the debate and not necessary him.

Ling, a political novice who defeated former Sarawak deputy chief minister George Chan in the state election last year, told Malaysiakini that he would send in the letter on Thursday.

The debate topic he suggested is, "DAP and SUPP, which party is more effective?".

"This is because after the state election, Chin always confuses the villagers about the roles of the ruling party and the opposition, claiming that DAP cannot bring development. Therefore I challenge him to debate this issue," Ling said.


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